Colorado and the Civil War 1861-1865

Here at Home During the spring of 1861, almost the whole army was in the West to protect it from Indians Most of the garrisons out west quickly depleted and headed to their home states to serve in the Confederacy and Union Terrified that the South would take over Washington D.C., the Union orders back every soldier it can and leaves the West defenseless Nathan Coriel, the first man who attempted to volunteer for the Union Army in the Civil War, was from Denver

Military Forts in Colorado There were only two forts in the territory at that time. One in the San Luis Valley  the old Spanish Fort Garland.

Fort Wise/ Lyon Along the Arkansas River east of Pueblo, was Fort Wise. Fort Wise was originally a trading post. It was named after the Governor of Virginia (Henry Wise) In hopes that he would stay with the Union. When Virginia joined the South, they renamed it Fort Lyon, after the first Union General killed in the war.

During the gold rush thousand of people came to the area By 1860 the government counted 34,277 people living in the area The area was made up of four different territories so the US leaders used the lines of latitude and longitude to cerate the new territory People called the new territory Colorado Red cliffs and reddish water of the Colorado River Colorado Territory

Colorado officially becomes a territory in 1861 and William Gilpin is appointed its first governor He was from Kansas but had the backing of President Lincoln. There were some Confederate sentiments. However, most early Coloradoans came from Northern and Midwestern states and sided with the North. The main threat to Colorado came from the Confederate state of Texas. Territorial Status

Gilpin Responds to the Confederate Threat Gilpin was convinced that the Confederate threat to his territory was imminent. Gilpin issued $375,000 in I.O.U.’s from the Federal government to supply and pay the 1st Colorado Regiment. Gilpin never received permission from President Lincoln to do so….

The New Mexico Campaign New Mexico was largely split between Northern and Southern Sympathizers. In February 1862, Texas Confederate General Henry Hopkins Sibley took command of the Army of New Mexico. His initial orders were to take the territory then seize the Gold Fields of Colorado and the Ports of California.

1st Colorado Regiment Seeking access to Colorado’s rich goldfields, Texas troops were already advancing through New Mexico by March 1862. To prevent rebel Texans from invading Colorado, Gov. Gilpin raises the 1st Regiment of Colorado Volunteers Nicknamed “Gilpin’s Pet Lambs,” the 1st Regiment was anything but. They had a well-earned reputation for hard drinking and excessive celebrating

Glorietta Pass Fought March 26-28 1864 The Army of New Mexico marched North towards the Colorado Border in an effort to seize the valuable Gold Fields for the Confederacy. John P Slough and the 1st Colorado Infantry met the Confederates at Glorietta in Northern New Mexico and stopped them cold.

John M. Chivington When war broke out the Methodist minister was offered a commission as a military chaplain. Chivington declined the “praying duty” for a “Shootin duty.” Gained fame when he cut off the Confederate supply line and turned the tide of the battle for the Union. Returned to Colorado as a hero and with political aspirations.

Glorietta Pass: “Gettysburg of the West?” High water mark for Confederates in the West Intended to serve as a knockout blow for Union in West. Union turned the Confederates back South and they never came close to that point again. Gettysburg High water mark for Confederates in the East Intended to serve as a knockout blow for the Union in the East. Union turned the Confederates back South and they never came close to that point again.

Gilpin’s “Hot Water” When Lincoln found out about Gilpin’s unauthorized I.O.U.’s he was livid. He responded by removing Gilpin from office. He then placed Illinois politician John Evans as Colorado Territory’s new Governor. Evans was popular because of his toughness on Indians.